Phew, long title.
I added the update below to my back pain post from a couple of days ago, the one where I use the Feminist Ryan Gosling as a model for where I'm feeling the pain, thought it could have it's own post.
"Ah me! alas, pain, pain ever, forever!" - Name the tweaked muscle (modelled by the Feminist Ryan Gosling)
thought it could have it's own post.
UPDATE
One of the comments suggested the exercises for back pain in Sharath's book, mentioned I didn't have a copy yet and I was kindly sent the appropriate page, thank you for that appreciate it.
I do wonder about the therapy section in Sharath's book, on the one hand I love that he's showing modifications (opening Ashtanga up a little) but on the other, therapy doesn't strike me as something you can just touch on in this way. Big big field, so many kinds of back injuries..... Don't want to say too much on this until I have the book in my hand, only seen a couple of screenshots so far.
It does say at the top there that these asana should be learned from a qualified teacher...Is this a game changer? Will Sharath be giving Yoga Therapy workshops, how experience, how comfortable is he in this area, strikes me as Ashtanga moving out of it's comfort zone.
This morning I took it easy again.
Put a tennis ball between me and the wall and rolled around a bit seems i can find the spot standing up and with a slight turn to the left and a gentle squat. With theracane work do we massage the spot or just press, must check unless anyone beats me to it.
Started practice with a light Vinyasa krama tadasana sequence then a very gentle, hesitant sury, working my hands very slowly down my legs to the mat over five breaths, stepping back more of a suggestion of a sury actually.
Same with the first couple of postures from the ashtanga standing sequence, more a suggesting, a nod in the direction of the postures.
Moved into 2nd series, hint of pasasana, skip krounchasana and settled into the backbends which feel fine, nice actually. Didn't want to push it with laghu vajrasana and kapotasana this morning so moved on to Urdhava Dhanurasana instead.
Can't work out a way to get up to savasana avoiding the pain, probably not going to do any harm but erring on the side of caution here. Did a couple of supine poses instead, seems bringing the knees up to the chest is fine.
Sirsasana was OK. Oh, forgot, added some VK hip openers while in headstand, only place I can seem to work them in.
Sitting is still painful, that pinching around the illiac crest, noticed in ustrasana that vajrasana is fine so settled on that for finishing.
Stayed in vajrasana for some pranayama but then switched to David Garrigues pranayama prep posture and did the Ashtanga pranayama sequence there instead, some Yoga meditation too, really like that posture.
feel better for doing it, pain free for a little while afterwards but sitting here writing this is uncomfortable again.
Update to that update.
My backs been feeling a LOT better all day, think either the modified practice, Davids pranayama prep position or the tennis ball has made a difference.
Sharath's Book - Ashtanga yoga Anusthana
Anyway, I posted the picture from Sharath's book above on fb with a link to the post and a friend Gaby asked me which book it was from.
I thought I'd posted a preview when it first came up but seems not. This is all I've posted on it on THIS post
Jois Yoga Greenwich have this to say about the book on their fb page
"It is a primer on ashtanga yoga philosophy and practice. It offers the correct vinyasa count and drishtis for the primary series, a few therapeutic postures, and some mantras".
A few therapeutic postures? That's interesting no?
I asked my friend Joy about Sharath's book as she's just picked up a copy
She says...
"It's a lovely book, only $12 (about 6 Quid for you), starts out with a beautiful dedication to Guruji, great description of all 8 limbs, sutras and why we do what we do, there is a focus on Yama and niyamas, notes on practice: Tristhana & Vinyasa, then full Primary (looks like same pics from Yoga Mala and Lino's book), opening mantra, asanas for therapy, magala mantra and shanti mantra".
Thanks Joy.
However, some screen shots are trickling out on google image search so these are for Gaby ( hope whoever originally posted them doesn't mind me reposting them).
I still don't have a copy, doesn't seem to have shown up in the UK anywhere yet. Heard it's supposedly only 500rs in the Mysore shala shop, what's that $8?
Details below from Ashtanga Yoga Jiva
Ashtanga yoga Anusthana
By R. Sharath Jois
Published in Mysore, in March 2103.
87 pages, Rs. 500.
Thus far only available directly from the KPJAYI Shop, in Mysore.
Includes a dedication to Guruji, exploration of the eight limbs of Ashtanga, a note on practice, Primary Series asanas, mantra, supplemental asanas for therapy.
The dedication:
This book and its teachings are dedicated to Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, Guruji.
Without him, none of this would be possible. Guruji sacrificed so much to study and then share this practice with us all. He left his home in a small village to devote himself completely to his studies. many years of hard work passed before Guruji became well-known to the world. His teachings now cross continents, and more students come every year to this wonderful practice.
Guruji was committed to passing on the practice exactly as he had learned it from his teacher, Krishnamacharya. he spent years learning all he could from Krishnamacharya and when it came time for him to begin teaching, Guruji did so following his teachers instructions. This is parampara, which means an uninterrupted succession; the direct and unbroken transmission of knowledge from a teacher to his or her student.
All who dedicate themselves to this tradition and who teach within this parampara owe much to Guruji. Devoting oneself to the lineage of Guruji is to enter an ancient river of teachings that flows to an ocean of wisdom.
I dedicate this book to him, in loving memory.
om sri gurubhyo namah
Jois Yoga have it now for $18 same at Eddie's Ashtanga Yoga New York Shipping to UK is another $18. I'll wait and and try and pick a copy when Sharath comes to the UK.
I wonder about this though, if your new to Ashtanga, which book are you going to buy, Patabhi Jois' Yoga Mala or this one by Sharath? You'd hope they would buy both but I wonder if Yoga Mala will become marginalised somewhat, less read which would be a shame because I love that book, find something new whenever I come back to it.
Anyone finding there way to this post over the next few years and wondering which to buy, GET BOTH, or get this one yourself and tell your loved one(s) to but Yoga Mala for Christmas, for your birthday, 4th of July, Valentines Day.........
Just found the link from where the pictures below originally came
http://pascalewilli.com/2013/04/26/astanga-yoga-anustana/
I added the update below to my back pain post from a couple of days ago, the one where I use the Feminist Ryan Gosling as a model for where I'm feeling the pain, thought it could have it's own post.
"Ah me! alas, pain, pain ever, forever!" - Name the tweaked muscle (modelled by the Feminist Ryan Gosling)
thought it could have it's own post.
UPDATE
One of the comments suggested the exercises for back pain in Sharath's book, mentioned I didn't have a copy yet and I was kindly sent the appropriate page, thank you for that appreciate it.
I do wonder about the therapy section in Sharath's book, on the one hand I love that he's showing modifications (opening Ashtanga up a little) but on the other, therapy doesn't strike me as something you can just touch on in this way. Big big field, so many kinds of back injuries..... Don't want to say too much on this until I have the book in my hand, only seen a couple of screenshots so far.
It does say at the top there that these asana should be learned from a qualified teacher...Is this a game changer? Will Sharath be giving Yoga Therapy workshops, how experience, how comfortable is he in this area, strikes me as Ashtanga moving out of it's comfort zone.
---------------
This morning I took it easy again.
Put a tennis ball between me and the wall and rolled around a bit seems i can find the spot standing up and with a slight turn to the left and a gentle squat. With theracane work do we massage the spot or just press, must check unless anyone beats me to it.
Started practice with a light Vinyasa krama tadasana sequence then a very gentle, hesitant sury, working my hands very slowly down my legs to the mat over five breaths, stepping back more of a suggestion of a sury actually.
Same with the first couple of postures from the ashtanga standing sequence, more a suggesting, a nod in the direction of the postures.
Moved into 2nd series, hint of pasasana, skip krounchasana and settled into the backbends which feel fine, nice actually. Didn't want to push it with laghu vajrasana and kapotasana this morning so moved on to Urdhava Dhanurasana instead.
Can't work out a way to get up to savasana avoiding the pain, probably not going to do any harm but erring on the side of caution here. Did a couple of supine poses instead, seems bringing the knees up to the chest is fine.
Sirsasana was OK. Oh, forgot, added some VK hip openers while in headstand, only place I can seem to work them in.
Sitting is still painful, that pinching around the illiac crest, noticed in ustrasana that vajrasana is fine so settled on that for finishing.
Stayed in vajrasana for some pranayama but then switched to David Garrigues pranayama prep posture and did the Ashtanga pranayama sequence there instead, some Yoga meditation too, really like that posture.
feel better for doing it, pain free for a little while afterwards but sitting here writing this is uncomfortable again.
| David Garrigues pranayama prep posture, loving this. |
Update to that update.
My backs been feeling a LOT better all day, think either the modified practice, Davids pranayama prep position or the tennis ball has made a difference.
--------------
Anyway, I posted the picture from Sharath's book above on fb with a link to the post and a friend Gaby asked me which book it was from.
I thought I'd posted a preview when it first came up but seems not. This is all I've posted on it on THIS post
Jois Yoga Greenwich have this to say about the book on their fb page
"It is a primer on ashtanga yoga philosophy and practice. It offers the correct vinyasa count and drishtis for the primary series, a few therapeutic postures, and some mantras".
A few therapeutic postures? That's interesting no?
I asked my friend Joy about Sharath's book as she's just picked up a copy
She says...
"It's a lovely book, only $12 (about 6 Quid for you), starts out with a beautiful dedication to Guruji, great description of all 8 limbs, sutras and why we do what we do, there is a focus on Yama and niyamas, notes on practice: Tristhana & Vinyasa, then full Primary (looks like same pics from Yoga Mala and Lino's book), opening mantra, asanas for therapy, magala mantra and shanti mantra".
Thanks Joy.
However, some screen shots are trickling out on google image search so these are for Gaby ( hope whoever originally posted them doesn't mind me reposting them).
I still don't have a copy, doesn't seem to have shown up in the UK anywhere yet. Heard it's supposedly only 500rs in the Mysore shala shop, what's that $8?
Details below from Ashtanga Yoga Jiva
Ashtanga yoga Anusthana
By R. Sharath Jois
Published in Mysore, in March 2103.
87 pages, Rs. 500.
Thus far only available directly from the KPJAYI Shop, in Mysore.
Includes a dedication to Guruji, exploration of the eight limbs of Ashtanga, a note on practice, Primary Series asanas, mantra, supplemental asanas for therapy.
The dedication:
This book and its teachings are dedicated to Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, Guruji.
Without him, none of this would be possible. Guruji sacrificed so much to study and then share this practice with us all. He left his home in a small village to devote himself completely to his studies. many years of hard work passed before Guruji became well-known to the world. His teachings now cross continents, and more students come every year to this wonderful practice.
Guruji was committed to passing on the practice exactly as he had learned it from his teacher, Krishnamacharya. he spent years learning all he could from Krishnamacharya and when it came time for him to begin teaching, Guruji did so following his teachers instructions. This is parampara, which means an uninterrupted succession; the direct and unbroken transmission of knowledge from a teacher to his or her student.
All who dedicate themselves to this tradition and who teach within this parampara owe much to Guruji. Devoting oneself to the lineage of Guruji is to enter an ancient river of teachings that flows to an ocean of wisdom.
I dedicate this book to him, in loving memory.
om sri gurubhyo namah
--------
I wonder about this though, if your new to Ashtanga, which book are you going to buy, Patabhi Jois' Yoga Mala or this one by Sharath? You'd hope they would buy both but I wonder if Yoga Mala will become marginalised somewhat, less read which would be a shame because I love that book, find something new whenever I come back to it.
![]() |
| Preview on Amazon |
Anyone finding there way to this post over the next few years and wondering which to buy, GET BOTH, or get this one yourself and tell your loved one(s) to but Yoga Mala for Christmas, for your birthday, 4th of July, Valentines Day.........
Just found the link from where the pictures below originally came
http://pascalewilli.com/2013/04/26/astanga-yoga-anustana/
On the subject of new books and booklets, take a look on at my previous post on Ashtanga House Recommendations from Angela Jamison, AYA2 and Small Blue pearls.









12 comments:
For me Yoga Mala is the bible and David Swenson's book ashtanga yoga the practice manual is very easy to use. Sharath's book is ashtanga light. In my humble opinion maybe it should have been attached to yoga mala? Not a great book for a beginner I love David Swensons book as it will quickly ramp your practice up even if you can't do certain postures like me he gives you alternatives and your practice evolves very quickly. I think a beginner would be lost using Sharath's book but that's just my opinion.
For back-pain I do a half hour at least of seated cat/cow waving myself forward in and up and arching myself back- -hands on knees at first. I explore various folded leg position like double pigeon all the while continuing the cat/cow wave. and I work on it, finding it, stetching it etc. Then I begin the suryas and continue on. I also find that sitting on a low back-vibrator with heat on helps me.
I couldn't wait and have ordered the book online!
Dear Grimmly, if you like, I can bring a copy of Sharath's book back to Europe on Sunday and mail it to you. They have a stack at Miami Life centre where I am currently for a workshop. I would just require your mail address.
thank you Matthas, really appreciate the offer but by coincidence another friend go in touch this morning who has a spare copy and is sending over. I'd bring a few copies back to Europe though, god knows when it will turn up on Amazon, you'll be very popular.
How was it at Kino's often wonder what it's like being at a teacher's shala who spends so much time away traveling and doing workshops...or perhaps it just seems that way.
Ashtanga light Brad? Lino's book is pretty much just the count and vinyasa, sounds similar to that plus supposedly a lot of conference type notes except they're not reported on a blog. Will be interesting to read those. I think a therapy section is quite revolutionary, there's always been that aspect of course but here it's being made explicit even if only touched on here, looking forward to it. I see it more of a Shala Ashtangi's book, with Swenson more for the home Ashtangi, the variations taking the place of a teacher adjusting and assisting.
Thanks for this Zendio. Interesting doing the sury's after an extended warm up, i do something a little similar by practicing a short vinyasa Krama tadasana sequence as soon as I get on the mat and before the surys. No vibrating chair but we do have a lot of Japanese heat pads which help.
Dear Grimmley, it was very nice here. Their teaching staff is great, and the shala is busy all day long. So I guess you can say that on the one hand there are the travelling teachers Kino and Tim and on the other hand the shala they own - and where they also teach and practice when for once they are home.
Thanks Matthias, if you feel like doing a guest post on the trip, let me know grimmly2007 and that with Googlemail
Hi Matthias. My apologies if this sounds cheeky, but as a home ashtangi over here in Ireland, I would love to get a copy of Sharath's book. If you do decide to bring home copies, i would be very grateful if it was possible for myself to get a copy. I completely understand if you decide not to.
Dear D, just saw your comment. Always glad to help a fellow Ashtangi. I will go by MLC before I leave for the airport and get you a copy. Just send me yozr postal address (mkhschmidt and the provider is gmail.com).
Many thanks M, much appreciated.
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